Micheál Martin: Pope Leo has 'genuine desire' for end of wars

Taoiseach (Irish prime minister) Micheál Martin has said Pope Leo XIV is determined to try to move the world away from war, following their meeting in the Vatican. Martin and his wife Mary were greeted in the San Damaso Courtyard on Friday morning before meeting the Pope in the Papal Library. Speaking after a 45-minute meeting, Martin said: "My sense is he has a genuine desire for an end to the wars that are happening in the Middle East and the war in Sudan, in particular, and Ukraine." The taoiseach said the pair did not discuss the specifics of the Gaza flotilla issue, but discussed the wider issue of the war in Gaza, the West Bank conflict and the war in Iran. "I get the sense that the Pope was really very anxious to try and get the world to move in a different direction to the one that's moving in at the moment, which is one of increasing conflict and war, which is having terrible effects on people," Martin said. Martin said they also discussed the issue of clerical abuse in Ireland and the question of redress for victims. He said he asked the Pope that "every effort would be made to get the religious orders to engage proactively on the matter of redress". Martin said the gover